The rifle is marketed as an entry-level gun for kids or people with small frames. A cartoon turtle holding a rifle and the tagline “quality firearms for America’s youth” appear on marketing materials for the gun:

A commercial for the gun on Personal Security Zone’s YouTube channel sells the Crickett as “the perfect way to give young or small-framed shooters started right.” They say it’s cheap, affordable and “girls and even mom will love the way they can pick one to their own taste,” referring to the range of bright colours available.

Sounding very much like an ad for a new toy, a little boy at the beginning says, “I wish I had one” into the camera as his older brother takes his new Crickett out to shoot.

Crickett parent company Keystone Sporting Arms also produces a line for kids called Chipmunk, which also has petite brightly-coloured weapons like this blue laminate model:

According to Keystone’s website, the company aims to “instill gun safety in the minds of youth shooters and encourage them to gain the knowledge and respect that hunting and shooting activities require and deserve.”

It’s hard to pin down how many guns are in America due to the lack of a national registry, but the estimate is around 310 million according to The Atlantic, with 40 per cent of households owning at least one firearm.

In that sort of climate, it’s not surprising that guns are marketed like toys to children. It may even be a good idea to instill proper safety procedures in the minds of young ones in gun-toting families.

But in the context of America’s frequent gun violence and in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, some may find it unsettling.